Logistics, Inventory System Improves FAA Operations

Logistics, Inventory System Improves FAA Operations

Article excerpt

By Bill May It would be a valuable system for any national
commercial supply and distribution company.

But, it belongs to the federal government.

Not only that, it was designed by the federal government with
one thought in mind, to increase customer satisfaction.

The new addition to the federal government program is the
Logistics and Inventory System based ame on-line, on time and on
budget Oct. 3, the dedication and formal ceremony acc easily surpass
that, according to Larry Gausman, a supervisor with the system.

"People began thinking about having a system like this about 10
years ago, and we started coming up with ideas and what we need to
make it work," he said. "Initially we hired (a private consultat) to
adopt their system for our use. But as we got more into it, we
determined that it would cost a lot more, so we brought everything
in-house and we did it ourselves."

The Logistics and Inventory System is designed to improve the
flow of communications and ordering from 2,500 field locations to
the Logistics Center (formerly called the FAA Depot at the
aeronautical center). When one of the 6,400 authorized persons
enters an order on a computer screen at a field location, that order
is instantly transmitted to the Logistics Center. All information
relating to the order is instantly related back to the ordering
person.

"We believe this will save from seven to eight days from our old
card requisition system," Gausman said. "Before the person doing the
requisitioning had to fill out a card and mail it in. We've now
eliminated that mailing time.

"When the card was received, data for the requisition was
entered manually into our computer then the item was pulled and
prepared for shipment. If there was something wrong with the
requisition or the item was not in stock, there was a further delay.
All that has been eliminated."

Not only does the system allow the field user instant access to
ordering information, but it allows more effective and efficient
inventory manageent, said Billie Davis, lead analyst on the system.

"The idea of this system is that it will allow people in the
center to know what has been ordered, and the computer will
automatically order from the inventory," she said. "This makes
things a lot easier and more efficient here."

Actual savings to be realized has not been determined, but
Davis, Gausman and Mike Zink, program manager, said it has benefits
for everyone involved. Initial estimates are that the savings will
be between $2 million and $3 million annually. …